1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hair cosmetic applicator that is an applicator for such hair cosmetics as haircolors and styling agents, wherein integrated are a container for accommodating the hair cosmetic and a comb section for applying the hair cosmetic.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known to the prior art is an applicator for applying a hair cosmetic such as a haircolor (permanent haircolor, semi-permanent haircolor, demi-permanent haircolor, temporary haircolor, etc.) or styling agent to the hair that is, as shown in FIG. 7, a hair cosmetic applicator 1 wherein a squeeze container 2 for accommodating the hair cosmetic and a comb section 3 for applying the hair cosmetic are integrated.
In the comb section 3 of this hair cosmetic applicator 1, a plurality of plate-shaped comb teeth 4 having projecting parts 5 in the tips thereof, are aligned in the thickness direction of those plate-form comb teeth 4. FIGS. 8A and 8B, respectively, are a partial top view and a side view of the comb section 3. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, liquid passageways 6 for the hair cosmetic are formed in the interiors of the plate-form comb teeth 4, and, in the opposing surfaces of adjacent plate-form comb, the open ends of the liquid passageways 6 are provided as discharge holes 7 for the hair cosmetic. The base parts 9 of adjacent plate-form comb teeth 4 are continuous with each other.
As shown in FIG. 9, one end of the base part 9 of the plate-form comb teeth 4 fits into a connecting member 10 so that it can be freely attached or detached. As shown in FIG. 7, moreover, the end part 10a of the connecting member 10 on the opposite side from the plate-form comb teeth 4 screws into an opening 2a in the squeeze container 2. Inside the connecting member 10 is formed a plurality of branched liquid passageways (not shown) for conducting the hair cosmetic discharged from the opening 2a of the squeeze container 2 to the liquid passageways 6 inside the plate-form comb teeth 4, and openings 11 of those liquid passageways connect to openings 8 on the base part 9 side of the liquid passageways 6 inside the plate-form comb teeth 4.
When this hair cosmetic applicator 1 is used in applying a hair cosmetic to hair, first, the comb section 3 is placed against the surface to which the hair cosmetic is to be applied (in other words, against to the scalp), with the squeeze container 2 oriented upward, and the hair cosmetic applicator 1 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 10 so as to comb the hair H while pressing the squeeze container 2 and causing the hair cosmetic to be discharged from the discharge holes 7. Thus, when applying the hair cosmetic, it is not necessary to prepare a comb or brush or the like, separately from that hair cosmetic, whereupon the hair cosmetic can be applied to the hair conveniently.
However, when the hair cosmetic is applied using the hair cosmetic applicator 1 described above, as shown in FIG. 10, by moving the hair cosmetic applicator 1 in the direction of arrow A, the hair cosmetic X discharged from the discharge holes 7 is pushed by the side surface 9a of the base part 9, and is pushed upward as indicated by the arrow B. For that reason, a problem arises in that the hair cosmetic X cannot be thoroughly applied up to the roots of the hair H. When one tries to dye the gray hair different color using a haircolor for gray hair as the hair cosmetic X.
To deal with such problems as this, an object of the present invention is to allow a hair cosmetic applicator comprising a container for accommodating a hair cosmetic and a comb section for discharging the hair cosmetic from the container to apply the hair cosmetic surely up to the hair roots and hairline.
In order to attain the object stated above, the inventor found that it is effective, when applying the hair cosmetic X to the hair H using the hair cosmetic applicator 1, as in FIG. 10, to direct the flow of the hair cosmetic X so that it is pushed toward the application surface S, after the hair cosmetic X discharged from the discharge holes 7 is pushed by the side surface 9a of the base part 9, and discovered that, for that purpose, it is only necessary to form the side surface 9a as an inclined surface facing toward the application surface S.
Specifically, the present invention provides a hair cosmetic applicator that comprises: a container for accommodating a hair cosmetic; and a comb section for discharging the hair cosmetic inside the container; wherein: the comb section is formed by aligning a plurality of plate-form comb teeth in the direction of the thickness of those plate-form teeth; the plate-form comb teeth have liquid passageways for the hair cosmetic in the interiors thereof; discharge hole(s) for hair cosmetic is(are) provided in at least one side of opposing surfaces of adjacent plate-form comb teeth; and an inclined surface is formed in the base part of the plate-form comb teeth between adjacent plate-form comb teeth such that the inclined surface faces toward the side of the surface to be applied when the hair cosmetic is being applied with the hair cosmetic applicator.